


You Can Cry If You Want To

by staymagical



Series: Keithtober 2019 [20]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Canon Era, Established Relationship, Everyone is there basically, Keithtober 2019, Klancetober 2019, M/M, Surprise Party, keith's birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 21:16:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21204221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staymagical/pseuds/staymagical
Summary: It's Keith's birthday, but no one knows. And that's just the way he wants it.Right?Keith sighs, discontent sinking his spirits.He shouldn’t be feeling this way. This is what he wanted, it’s why he never told anyone when his birthday was. Why he circumvented every conversation, every question aimed at him. No fuss, no muss, no hard feelings. This way, he has no expectations and no reason to be disappointed when nothing happens.





	You Can Cry If You Want To

**Author's Note:**

> Keithtober Day 23: Keith's Birthday
> 
> Better late than never, right?

Keith’s never had a birthday before.

He’s turned older, become somewhat wiser he hopes, but a true birthday? No. Not one filled with presents and cake and poorly harmonized singing of friends and family. Surrounded by love and joy, by people who truly cared and want the best for him. Who sees a future for him.

Or with him.

So it’s no surprise when the illicit day dawns after their return to earth and he’s heard no word or whisper of what it signifies. 

Just another day.

And truly, Keith doesn’t care. It’s never been a big deal before so why should it now? They don’t have much time for birthdays or celebration what with an intergalactic war going on. Even if they did, no one knows it’s his birthday, he has never divulged that information to any of them. Not even Shiro.

Not even Lance. And they’ve been dating for nearly a year now.

So he just goes about his morning like any other day. Just the way he wants.

Or so he tries to tell himself. 

Keith ducks under the bot’s strike, twisting as he does and stabbing up and through the body. The bot disappears in a wisp of smoke. 

He wipes the sweat from his brow and takes a few measures breathes, rolling his right shoulder and embracing the pleasant ache of worn muscles. This is just what he needed, a good hard training session to get his blood pumping and distract his mind.

Just another day back at the Garrison. Another normal unassuming day.

Keith sighs, discontent sinking his spirits.

He shouldn’t be feeling this way. This is what he wanted, it’s why he never told anyone when his birthday was. Why he circumvented every conversation, every question aimed at him. No fuss, no muss, no hard feelings. This way, he has no expectations and no reason to be disappointed when nothing happens.

Right?

He probably just needs to work it out of his system. Train until his body can no longer remember what day it is. Until his birthday has come and gone.

Behind Keith, the training room door opens and he’s pulled out of his thoughts as Lance stumbles through. 

“Keith!” Lance seems out of breath as if he’s just run a mile and it immediately puts Keith on edge. “Allura is calling a Voltron meeting. Something’s happened.”

“What’s wrong?” An odd sense of relief settles across Keith’s shoulders. This is exactly what he needs today. A distraction. 

Lance just shakes his head and shrugs. “I don’t know. All she said was to meet her in the conference room.”

Keith nods, retracting and sliding his blade into its sheath before gesturing for Lance to lead the way. 

When they take off at a jog, Keith knows it’s serious. He keeps up with Lance easily and effortlessly sinks into the role of leader, preparing himself for whatever they may face.

But nothing could prepare him for a room full of familiar faces and bodies, all throwing their arms up with exuberant unison shouts of “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!”

Keith is so startled he immediately drops down into a crouch, body thrumming with adrenaline as it prepares for a fight. 

But all he sees are balloons and streamers, shimmering red and black decorations, an expertly frosted cake and multiple smiling faces staring at him. 

Keith pulls himself up slowly, heart hammering in his throat, unsure of what he’s seeing. Until his the words they had shouted register and his eyes widen.

Happy Birthday. 

Keith whirls to face Lance, bewildered. “How—how did you know?” 

Lance shrugs with a coy smile and a nod of his head over Keith’s shoulder toward the back right of the group. “A little birdie told me.”

Keith turns to follow Lance’s gaze.

Emotion clogs his throat. There just behind Hunk, violet skin aglow under the gentle yellow light, stands his mother still in uniform.

“Mom?” The word comes out breathless, still odd on his tongue and nothing more than a whisper as his heart fills with warmth. “You’re here.”

Krolia smiles, soft and watery at the edges. “I wouldn’t miss another birthday.”

“But the Blades—“

She shakes her head. “I can take one day.”

With dazed eyes, Keith’s gaze flicks around to each and every smiling face. Shiro, Hunk, Pidge, Allura, Romelle, Coran, his mother, the MFEs, and a few other Garrison members he recognizes. Even Lance’s family who he has only recently gotten know when Lance introduced him. All of them here.

For him. For his birthday.

His throat burns, closing with overwhelming joy and happiness. It’s all too much. Tears prick at the corner of his eyes as he’s bombarded with love and appreciation in a celebration that’s all for him. It’s both embarrassing and exhilarating all at once but he can’t help smiling even as he wipes the tears from his eyes.

And for once, he truly feels like it’s his birthday.

“Keith?” Lance gently touches Keith’s shoulder, toned laced with concern. “Keith are you okay?”

“Yes,” he chuckles. Then he turns into Lance’s chest to wrap his arms around his waist.

“Oh!”

“Thank you,” Keith whispers on a choking breath into Lance’s shirt, “thank you.”

Lance’s hand rubs warm soothing circles into his back. “Always, love.”

And then there are more bodies, pressing in on all sides in a way that usually would have Keith feeling trapped. But he just feels the love radiating off them, surrounding him, holding him to press their marks on his heart until he’s warm and cherished and happy.

This. This is all he ever wanted.

He folds himself tighter against Lance’s body and Lance, with a chuckle, squeezes him back. 

Then Lance is pulling away in a circle of their friends and family and Keith looks up to see a smirk on his lips as he punches the air. 

“Now let’s eat some cake!”

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my Instagram for more Klance and VLD drabbles and short fics: [staymagwrites](https://www.instagram.com/staymagwrites/)


End file.
